Jacket: INC thanks mom! (similar) // Pants: Ralph Lauren // Earrings: I made them (stay tuned for more on these) // Boots: Doc Marten
As you can tell by the title, I didn’t want to share these photos. When I first saw them on my computer I really didn’t like them. In fact, I hated them. I loved the outfit, but it just didn’t look right. I was thinking about retaking them, but then I stopped and thought for a second.
WHY I CHOSE TO SHARE THESE PICTURES
If you read my post last week (here) I talked about keeping it real and honest with y’all all the time. That is what this blog is built on; keeping it real and honest.
That’s why I chose to suck it up and share pictures that didn’t come out the way I wanted. If you read my one post about not comparing your fitness journey to others (here) you’ll know that some people have a problem with things like this. They get all upset when they see influencers trying to be relatable for whatever reason. That’s kind of counter productive. Don’t you think? Everyone is all obsessed with being perfect, but at the same time they want to be relatable, and the second someone has the guts to be relatable it’s a problem. It goes back to the saying where “you can be the juciest peach, but someone will always hate peaches.”
OBTAINABLE VS UNOBTAINABLE
Ok, that’s not what this post is supposed to be about. That’s already something I’ve written about in the past. I wanted to focus on being ok with flaws. We live in a society where perfect is absolutely unobtainable. It’s obtainable to be plus size, and it’s obtainable to be fit and toned with lots of dedication, however it’s not obtainable (naturally) to look like the Kardashians or any celebrity who has had way too much work done.
SOCIETY STANDARDS
Those people are the true problem in our society. I don’t mind plastic surgery if that’s you’re thing. However, if you’re going to blatantly lie and say you haven’t had work done when you clearly have, you are the problem. The internet is a funny thing where it has every single picture on it. Which helps in showing befores and afters. Don’t go on camera saying that, that huge booty and tiny waist are all from working out, when they CLEARLY aren’t. You are giving the wrong impression on women who don’t know better and believe that, that look is obtainable through just hard work.
Is it possible to get a booty from working out? Heck yea! You have to work hard for it, but for some of us, having a Kardashian/Jenner body (most specifically big booty, tiny waist, huge boobs, and huge lips) is just not going to happen genetically. No matter how much I work out, I will NEVER obtain a body like theirs. To get a body like theirs I would have to mix being fit with getting lots of work done. That’s just not what I’m about.
BE COMFORTABLE IN THE SKIN YOU’RE IN
That’s why, sharing photos like these is so important. It shows that no matter how beautiful and perfect some pictures are, there are pictures that come out that I hate. In these pictures I look much bigger than I actually am. I’ll admit, I have gained a few pounds since we moved, but these pictures just did not look good whatsoever.
Anywho, make sure to link up with my mom and me!
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xoxo Monica
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Thanks for sharing them even though you didn’t want to. I think you look fabulous! Love the bomber.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you so much Kathrine!
It is definitely interesting for me to post pictures of myself some days when I see the bumps and lumps. But it is who I am, and while I try to be healthy I do like my treats too! I appreciate seeing pictures where a person is real! And I think you rock your outfit!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Thank you so much! I try my best to be as real as possible, even if that means posting things that aren’t perfect. I want to be able to show people, that life behind the computer/phone screen is not perfect by any means. I’m still a real person haha!
You look good to me! I think we can all relate. I was having this conversation yesterday with my 20 yr. old while we were taking pics at Animal Kingdom. We were both our own worst critics. For me, sometimes it’s just the mood I’m in at the time, others, I see my body aging… With blogging photos sometimes it’s the lighting or odd way we catch ourselves. Anyway, keep up the good work, changes have a way of messing with our eating and activity levels. Undoubtedly, you’ll get back to what feels good for you!
Thank you Kim! My mom and I do the same. We always pick ourselves apart and we are each other’s support system haha. I’m only 31, but I also see my body slightly aging. I’m starting to get crows feet, the lines on my forehead are here to stay (when I was younger they bounced right back!). My metabolism started to severely slow down at around 27/28. I can’t keep the weight off and it’s MUCH harder for me to lose it nowadays. I’m getting to the point where I’m just not going to care about the little flaws. I have enough going on in my life to stress over these little things!
I think you look great, but we’re our own worst critics. I have several photo shoots that will never see the light of day because I wasn’t happy with how they turned out.
Cheryl Shops | http://www.cherylshops.net
Trust me, there are some that haven’t made it to the blog either. They were THAT bad, worse than these photos. That’s why since these weren’t the worst that I’ve seen, it was only to fair to share the ones that I kind of dislike haha. We definitely are our own worst critics unfortunately.
I have scrapped photo shoots before and some I have shared. I know how you feel. Trying to keep it real and yet still keeping the creative side it’s tough. I think the bomber jacket is really cute and I do love how you styled it!
http://www.ruthyannie.com
There are some that haven’t seen the light of day because they are THAT bad, but I always try to keep it real, so it’s kind of hypocritical of me not to share. And thank you! I’m loving this jacket! Although it’s heating up fast here in FL, I won’t be able to wear it as often as I’d like haha.
I think your photos turned out Monica. You look great and I love your earrings! But it’s funny how perfect timing your blog posted because I took photos just a week ago for a post that’s coming up this weekend and I do not like them! I too wanted to retake them but chasing perfection wasn’t the goal when I started this blog so it is what it is. Plus, I would have to ask hubby to help and I didn’t want to drag him into taking photos again. After all, I don’t want my photographer to get upset! Lol I know why making things look pretty matter but I also agree that we shouldn’t lie about our natural beauty. I hope you had a great week and happy weekend!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
Lately I have felt so bad for my fiance and having to drag him around to take photos. It can get so exhausting sometimes, especially when there are so many other things that we have to do. That’s another reason why I didn’t want to retake these pictures, because I too, felt bad.